CAN AN INVASIVE FISH SPECIES BE NATURALIZED?

CAN AN INVASIVE FISH SPECIES BE NATURALIZED?

My fellow Filipinos, in theory, an invasive fish species will always be an invasive species no matter what. According to Microsoft Copilot, “An invasive fish species is a type of fish that is not native to a particular ecosystem and whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, harm to the environment, economy, or human health. These species can spread rapidly and compete with native fish for resources, potentially leading to the decline or extinction of native species”. By that definition, there is no question that Tilapia is an invasive fish species.

By all accounts, it is very clear that Tilapia has already caused the decline of native fish species in Philippine lakes and rivers, but it is still not clear whether it has caused the extinction of native species or not. True to the nature of invasive fish species, Tilapia has reproduced quickly wherever they have invaded, and always in huge numbers. Even if they are invasive however, Tilapia is considered tasty by many people, and for that reason, it has become a popular choice as a fish dish. It is also for that reason that Tilapia as a species has already gained sufficient economic value, providing livelihood to many fish farmers and contributing to the diet of many people.

Regardless of the scientific facts, most of us Filipinos are not aware that Tilapia is an invasive species. Instead, most of us think that Tilapia is a native species. That is so because Tilapia has been in our local waters for so many decades, perhaps for almost a hundred years already. According to fisheries expert Romualdo Pol of the BFAR, there is already a growing notion that Tilapia has already become a “naturalized” fish species, because it is already generally accepted, and because it has already created its own economic value. Nonetheless, being a “naturalized” foreign species still sounds an oxymoron.

Given all that background information, it appears that the government now finds itself in a damn if they do, damn if they don’t situation. If the government declares that Tilapia is still an invasive fish species up to now, it has no choice but to take the necessary actions to exterminate and remove these from our local waters. If the government does that, it will destroy the livelihood of many fishermen and deprive many households of an affordable source of food.  If, however, the government will legally declare that Tilapia is already a “naturalized” fish species, meaning that is no longer an invasive species, then it could still endanger the native species, knowing that invasive species eat the eggs and fingerlings of the latter.

How do we end this dilemma? I do not have the answer myself, and all that I could think of right now is to ask the Office of the President (OP) to create an inter-agency committee to resolve this question. The lead agency for this could be the Secretary of the DENR, assisted by the Secretaries or Heads of NEDA, DTI, DA and BFAR. Many other countries have declared an all-out war on Tilapia as an invasive species. Do they know something that we don’t? Your friend, IKE SENERES/11-18-2024/Visit my blog senseneres.blogspot.com

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PHILIPPINE INCLUSIVE SYSTEM FOR COLLEGE ENTRY OF STUDENTS

 PHILIPPINE INCLUSIVE SYSTEM FOR COLLEGE ENTRY OF STUDENTS My advocacy partner Mr. Roi Baluyot and I have created the Philippine Inclusive System for College Entry of Students (PISCES), for the purpose of making it easier for prospective students from the marginalized sectors to enter any of the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) that are located all over the Philippines. Although tuition is free in these SUCs, many prospective students find it difficult to proceed, because of possible expenses that they could not afford, such as books, learning materials, snacks, board and lodging, specifically for dormitory fees if they are from out of town. This idea started when Mr. Baluyot informed me that there are some UP alumni groups in the United States who are concerned about the fact that the the majority of the students who are presently enrolled in the UP campuses right now are mostly coming from the upper classes. That reality defeats the purpose of UP becoming a "university of ...
Read more

PREPARING FOR USAID PROJECT WITHDRAWALS

PREPARING FOR USAID PROJECT WITHDRAWALS The recent foreign policy shifts under returning U.S. President Donald Trump have significantly impacted global development aid, including USAID’s programs in the Philippines. With the United States reassessing its foreign assistance policies, it is almost certain that USAID funding for the Philippines will be reduced . This could lead to the slowdown—or even the complete shutdown—of various projects that have been instrumental in supporting economic development, governance, health, education, and infrastructure in the country. A Call for Proactive Government Action The Philippine government cannot afford to wait until the last minute to respond. The potential withdrawal of USAID projects must be addressed now , not when funding officially stops. A well-planned transition strategy is necessary to prevent gaps in critical services and ensure that the country’s development momentum is not disrupted. Steps the Government Must Take Immediate...
Read more

TELEMEDICINE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL

 TELEMEDICINE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL Marinduque Governor Presby Velasco has a wonderful plan to make telemedicine available to all the 218 Barangay Health Units (BHUs) in his island province, and I am very happy to help him with the project as his Information and Communications Technology (ICT) consultant.  Although the technology for telemedicine is already available in the market, it appears that no province has yet implemented a province wide telemedicine project that could connect patients from the grassroots level to the doctors at the municipal halls and the provincial capitol. By doing that, Governor Velasco will be able to achieve the goal of providing universal access to healthcare to everyone in his province. Although the project might appear to be complex, it is actually designed with a simple plan that would make it easy to implement. The one part of the plan is to install internet connectivity in each of the BHUs, using satellite or fiber, depending on what is av...
Read more